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€0.90 WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION WEDNESDAY • 2 April 2014 • issue 358 • published every wednesdAy And sundAy Newspaper post Editorial - PAGE 11 Coleiro Preca calls on MPs to give children a voice CONTINUES ON PAGES 2-3 JURGEN BALZAN IN a historic day in Maltese politics, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca was yesterday approved as new Presi- dent of Malta by a unanimous vote in Parliament. In her last speech in Parliament as an MP, an emo- tional Coleiro Preca urged MPs to give children, espe- cially unaccompanied child migrants, protection and a voice, "as though they are our very own children". Coleiro Preca went down in history books as the first president hailing from the part y in government to be voted into office with the support of the Op- position. Following her speech, a tearful Coleiro Preca ten- dered her resignation to the Speaker before walking out of Parliament to the applause of all MPs and her family, collaborators and friends who packed the Strangers' Gallery. Explaining the hardship that child migrants go through – which includes sexual and physical abuse in reception centres – she said, "If my daughter had to go through such an experience, I would lose it. Let us not be afraid, let us make sure that we offer them protection." Pastor petitions MPs with 10,000 signatures against gay unions Pastor who courted controversy for advocating 'conversion' of gay people claims he can get signatures for abrogative referendum THE Christian evangelical pastor Gordon John Manché has announced that he will today present a 10,000- signature petition, demanding that MPs do not put into effect the law that will introduce civil unions for both heterosexual and homosexual couples. Manché, who courted controversy for advocating the 'conversion' of gay people from their sexual orienta- tions, said he will present the peti- tion to MPs on Wednesday, at 5pm. "We want to get the present gov- ernment's attention and stress that over 80% of Malta and Gozo do not want the law on gay adoptions and civil unions to go ahead against the majority of the Maltese people's de- sire and opinion," Manché said in a statement. Under the proposed bill, which has yet to be fully approved by MPs, gives full equanimity between gay and straight couples in unions or marriage, and will accord gay civil unions the right to adopt children. Under present laws, gay couples can adopt children with one parent taking full custody of the child as a single parent. "We want to get MPs' attention so that we ask them to put the brakes on this law," Manché, or the River Of Love fellowship, said. "We are encouraged that the honourable and admirable ex-President of Malta re- fused to sign this law in action. It's a sign of the times for Malta." Outgoing president George Abela has reportedly refused to sign the civil unions bill on moral grounds, leaving the law in suspension. But this was not made known publicly and the law remains yet to be ap- proved by MPs. Manché said that if the law goes ahead, he will demand a referendum to abrogate the law. Like the peti- tion for an abrogative referendum on spring hunting, he will need 10% of all the electorate's signatures on a similar petition. "It is unheard of, in a country where over 80% of the people are against these issues, that people in power continue to press on. This is no longer democracy, but subtle, in- your-face [sic] dictatorship." Manché said that 10,000 signa- tures were collected "in less than four weeks". "We are more than confident that should we need to, the necessary sig- natures for a referendum will be eas- ily collected in little time… May God bless Malta and His righteousness and justice prevail over us." Gordon John Manche Marie Louise Coleiro Preca PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MANGION